Google Loses Domain Name Dispute – Only the 2nd Lose Ever!
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ICANN recently dismissed an attempt by Google to stop Groovle.com from operating using its domain name. The dispute was filed by Google in November, 2009, on the grounds that Groovle sounded too “confusingly similar” to its trademark name, Google.
National Arbitration Forum (NAF), which mediated the dispute ruled in favor of Groovle.com, stating that the name was sufficiently different to cause any “confusion”. It further stated that the domain name stay with Groovle.
This is the only the 2nd time in the history of Google that it has lost a domain name dispute. The previous case was a dispute with froogles.com, which also ended with a similar ruling.
What does this ruling have in store for the future of trademark violations? Though Google had managed to stop numerous other entities from registering or using domains names that remotely resembled its trademark, this ruling can open up the domaining industry to trademark abuse.
I believe that this was a blind-fold resolution to this dispute and Google should have won. Groovle is neither a common word (dictionary word) or a word that can be associated with the business of Groovle – giving users the ability to design their own custom search engines.
Furthermore, Groovle’s business is too similar to what Google does – search engine! People, we can clearly see an attempt by a company to manipulate the internet users through confusion of the domain name, and chip away the success of Google for its own benefit.
The domaining world need not be surprised if we see a sudden, sharp rise in domain name trademark infringements. This ruling has given the perpetrators encouragement to commit breaches of domain trademark rights and to some degree, get away with it.
Protecting our domain names just got a little more difficult!
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January 12, 2010 pm31 2:41 am
Thank you for this amaizing tip!
Dating Manual´s last blog ..Dating manual to help you avoiding commom mistakes
January 14, 2010 pm31 6:27 pm
Nice article Nick. I do think it’s bs that Google tries to close down anything that sounds remotely to google.
Soon they’ll try to close down poodle.com for sounding like google, lol
JP´s last blog ..10 Ways to Instantly Speed Up Your Website
January 22, 2010 pm31 1:53 am
Nice article but I think groovle does sound similar to google.
January 22, 2010 pm31 9:51 am
I agree, Groovle and Google sound VERY similar in my opinion. I must admit I’m surprised Google lost.
February 2, 2010 pm31 9:36 am
I guess in the eyes of the court, they’re not protecting their intellectual property if they don’t show that they’re putting in enough effort to do so. Sometimes, they or any other such company are forced to do these things whether they want to or not, sadly.
Till then,
Jean
February 4, 2010 pm31 10:48 pm
I know that google offered free webpages, should I do this for the first month or so? Or should I pay money to have a webpage (I think it cost money every month). I am new to this. I just bought a domain name but I’m lost now.
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
February 11, 2010 pm31 12:50 am
There was a lot of cases of loosing domains that become very popular in future, but there is nothing strange about it. People are often looking for domains that are still free, and those popular names are given not to those domains that are owned by someone, but those free.
March 1, 2010 pm31 6:13 am
Everyone have rights to name their own domain as long as it is not using the same spelling. Johnchow and Johncow almost have similar sound, but different spelling. Even both success in blogging. That’s what we called fair play!
wptidbits´s last blog ..26 Top Sources to Find Free Icons Sets
March 2, 2010 pm31 11:20 pm
Amazing article! But Google is Google. Not other sites can become Google…..
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
March 4, 2010 pm31 3:31 am
Search engines are pretty good at maintaining rankings during a website redesign as long as the content does not change that much, and you don’t destroy the URLs from the old site when launching the new one.
March 5, 2010 pm31 12:41 am
I sure hope that’s the way it works out too, virtual.
Till then,
Jean
March 12, 2010 pm31 11:17 pm
ha ha ha all post is very nice every think is looking virtule.
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
March 17, 2010 pm31 11:19 pm
I’m not sure what you’re talking about there.
Till then,
Jean
March 22, 2010 pm31 4:47 pm
This question is similar to another one which I would answer as below:
Any form of investment without knowledge is not advisable especially when you are using your life saving…
Buying google is not a bad choice if you know what you are doing. My suggestion for you is to spend a bit of your saving to do some reading up about how you can insure your stock investment.
virtual dating game´s last blog ..Meet Your Dream partner Through Christian online sites
April 1, 2010 pm31 8:56 pm
Also when you type into the addesss bar…for example http://www.thetechgame.com instead of telling me straight that it is not going to open it will for no reason just search therechgame.com on yahoo prob because it is the default search browser.
virtual dating game´s last blog ..Meet Your Dream partner Through Christian online sites
April 3, 2010 pm31 2:02 am
More people are attempting to make money off of the mistakes people make when typing in a well-known domain name, according to new findings from the National Arbitration Forum. People often invert letters or add an additional letter when trying to access a popular website, typing in goggle.com instead of Google.
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
April 9, 2010 pm31 12:04 am
Hi all is very fantastic sharing telling about Domain ha ha ha.
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
April 16, 2010 pm31 9:49 pm
@Continuity Tester: But that’s just the box many are put in. With domain names being snatched up so fast sometimes, they have to resort to some creative naming now and then.
Till then,
Jean
April 17, 2010 pm31 10:28 am
Personally I’m glad Google does lose a case like this. While the name sounds somewhat similar, they don’t have trademark on every rhyming or similar word. This is just abusing their vast financial resources. If Google had won it would’ve opened the door for other companies to sue every other company with a related sounding domain or company name.
April 22, 2010 pm31 7:50 am
damn, how come I didn’t think of coming up with a site like groovle – it’s clever!
how to start a blog´s last blog ..How to Add Google Analytics to WordPress
May 3, 2010 pm31 7:16 pm
They mailed about failure in charging me for thier fees. Today I called them; to request them to pay by cheque.
virtual dating game´s last blog ..Meet Your Dream partner Through Christian online sites
May 6, 2010 pm31 3:22 am
Ok, thanks for clearing that up. I understand now.
Till then,
Jean
May 6, 2010 pm31 4:19 am
Groovle argued that “adding an R and trading a G for a V” vastly changed the domain name, which was more similar to “groove” or “groovy”.
May 7, 2010 pm31 8:49 pm
It will be interesting now if Google decides not to pay them their adsense revenue since it appears this is how Groovle makes all their money. Google does seem to like to terminate people’s payments and adsense accounts for whatever reason pleases them.
May 11, 2010 pm31 1:51 am
The nuclear desire seems to be spreading throughout the unstable region, with a dozen Arab nations, from the Gulf to the Atlantic, having declared their nuclear power aspirations.
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
June 2, 2010 pm31 1:30 am
theres one huge place that sells the domain license to the retailers. You could get a Domain resell license, however they are a LOT of money…
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
June 3, 2010 pm31 9:42 pm
Will this be an issue. I’m assuming the old volunteer has the login cridentals and I’m afraid she won’t give them up.
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
July 1, 2010 pm31 4:21 pm
Google is pushing its limits. I understand it is a large respected company. However when you start telling others their name cant resemble yours, you are becoming to pushy.
July 2, 2010 pm31 4:54 am
In my opinion if Google did not want someone to have a name that similar they should have bought the domains themselves. It is not like they lack the funds to buy these names and keep them so that nobody else can own and develop them.
July 2, 2010 pm31 3:28 pm
Google’s empire hasn’t exactly crumbled, and to be honest, the average person will probably never even realize what’s happened.
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
July 5, 2010 pm31 11:49 pm
I see your point. This is a valid argument. However, the real issue on the legal front will most likely be on the policy front, and the question is, “Should Google be regulated?” Is it at the point where it must be regulated.
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
July 6, 2010 pm31 6:54 pm
Get a list of what you do, words you like. Maybe even your name. Start putting some together. Lots of time you can find a good name that way!!
July 6, 2010 pm31 6:55 pm
You will have to sell the domain name to a third party getting payment on your own terms, and then you can simply transfer the domain name to that party..
virtual dating game´s last blog ..Meet Your Dream partner Through Christian online sites
July 23, 2010 pm31 9:26 am
I think what a trade mark infringement means is using the exact wordings of another business in promoting your own business without permission. And moreover there is a clear difference between google and groovle. So that should not pose a great challenge to google business.
July 30, 2010 pm31 5:41 pm
Groovles does sound a lot similar to Google, I think the decision by the NAF was wrong
August 2, 2010 pm31 3:12 pm
Get a list of what you do, words you like. Maybe even your name. Start putting some together. Lots of time you can find a good name that way..
August 2, 2010 pm31 11:46 pm
Thanks for fantastic article submitting all is very informative
foot orthotics´s last blog ..Orthotics for Planter Fasciitis- the most effective means to support your ankle
August 4, 2010 pm31 10:25 pm
Really very important sharing very true blog finding.
Continuity Tester´s last blog ..Testing in Circuits
August 5, 2010 pm31 8:36 pm
ICANN is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers. These include domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .UK), as well as the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols. Computers use these identifiers to reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet’s operation, so ICANN’s global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet’s ongoing security and stability
virtual dating game´s last blog ..Meet Your Dream partner Through Christian online sites
September 3, 2010 pm31 4:18 pm
One measure proposed to protect small domain owners’ rights is a requirement that domain name registrants submit to third-party arbitration if they are accused of registering a name in “bad faith,” such as obtaining it for the sole purpose of trying to resell it to a trademark holder.